Riding the arm and bat of junior Yulai Woodruff East Hamilton bounced back from Monday's loss in District 6-4A action on its home field to notch a pair of convincing wins Tuesday to force a second championship game Wednesday.
After Woodruff shutout Ooltewah 8-0 in six innings, she turned around and not only tossed a four-hitter, plus blasted a pair of three-run homers to down Bradley Central 11-2 in the first title tilt.
While both the Lady Hurricanes and Bearettes advance to next week's Region 3-4A Tournament, Wednesday's winner will get to host the event, which also including third-ranked Walker Valley and No.
16 Cleveland.
After the teams got base runners on in both halves of the first inning, but couldn't score, East Hamilton (19-10) broke the ice in the top of the second on a RBI-single by Kailyn Mendoza to plate Alana Johnson, who had opened the at bat with a walk.
The Lady Hurricanes two runs in the third with Hannah Apps stroking a RBI-double to bring in Madeline Evans, who drew a free pass and avoided a tag at the plate for the score.
Later in the inning Woodruff reached on an infield hit, swiped second, advanced to third on a fielder's choice before coming home and a Gabi Printup.
Bradley (14-17) got the goose egg off the bottom of the board when My'Ryah Greenwood opened the bottom of the third with a double, moved to third ona ground out and scored on a squeeze bunt by Lynlee Hodge.
After a scoreless fourth frame, East Ham went back to work with a double from Bailey Poschke and a bloop single from Evans before Woodruff "went yard" for the first time in the fifth.
The Lady Hurricanes blew in four runs in the sixth as J Rutley hit a flare for a one-out double. Poschke followed by "walking the line" before a two-out bloop single by Henley Apps drove in Rutley.
With two runners still on base, Woodruff stepped into the box and once again belted a shot over the left field fence.
The Bearettes were able to add their second run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth when Tori Cagle drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a single by Karly Farkas before scoring on a ground out by Presleigh Sanders.
The host picked up their final run in the top of the seventh when a pair of free passes set the table for a two-out RBI-knock by Rutley.
East Ham collected 11 hits in the victory, a half of which went for extra bases.
Along with Woodruff's six RBIs, Apps went 4-for-4 with a pair of "ribbies" and scored twice.
Rutley also went 2-for-3, plus drew a walk.
Greenwood had half of Bradley's hits, going 2-for-3 and scoring a run.
Game Summary
District 6-4A Championship Game
at East Hamilton HS
East Hamilton 012 034 1 — 11 11 0
Bradley Central 001 001 0 — 2 4 2
Woodruff and Poschke; Long, Bailey (3), Callahan (6), Ownby (7) and Sanders.
WP: Yulai Woodruff. LP: Madison Long. Records: East Hamilton 19-10; Bradley Central 14-17.
(Contact Joe Cannon at joe.cannon@clevelandbanner.com)